Bulk storage container



Aug. 9, 1966 w. J. TOMPKINS BULK STORAGE CONTAINER Filed May 13, 1964 INVENTOR. WILFORD J. TOMPKlNS BY )K, M

United States Patent 3,265,284 BULK STORAGE CONTAINER Wilford J. Tompkins, St. Paul, Minn., assignor to Owens- Illinois Glass Company, a corporation of Ohio Filed May 13, 1964, Ser. No. 367,172 6 Claims. (Cl. 229-49) This invention relates to improvements in a container for the storage of bulk material.

More particularly, the invention relates to storage bins or containers of relatively large size made from paper board or other suitable sheet material in combination with a collapsible frame having reinforcing members to provide additional stacking and bursting strength.

The present invention lends itself particularly well for use as a bulk bin for frozen fresh hams, frozen pork bellies and frozen vegetables.

With respect to frozen meats, it was the practice in the past to store the frozen meat in large wooden cubicles, similar to grain storage bins. When the meat was to be transported for curing or smoking, it was necessary that the meat be rehandled and placed loose in refrigerated trucks or rail cars.

With respect to frozen vegetables, it was common practice to store these in wooden bins or large double wall corrugated boxes. The heavy double wall corrugated boxes were necessary to contain the weight of the vegetables, in some cases approximately 1200 pounds.

It is an object of this invention to use a metal rack in combination with a lower cost, lighter weight, single wall corrugated box.

It is an additional object of this invention to provide reuseable racks or frames used in combination with corrugated, single wall boxes to eliminate bulging and allow a lighter weight, less expensive box to contain the product.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a container in the form of a generally rectangular carton in combination with a supporting frame detachably supported in relation to the container, which container is provided with corner reinforcing members held in conjunction with the container by the means for supporting the frame.

Other and further objects will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the annexed sheet of drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the storage container of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the reinforcing frame in partially collapsed position;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the reinforcing frame of FIG. 2 in completely collapsed position;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a corner reinforcing member;

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of a retaining clip forming a part of the invention; and,

FIG. 6 is a partial perspective view, on an enlarged scale, of the corner construction illustrating the assembly of the corner reinforcing member of FIG. 4, the clip of FIG. 5 and a portion of the frame of FIG. 2, in position with respect to the carton.

The invention is comprised generally of a rectangular carton 10 formed of interconnected side walls 11, 12, 13 and 14 and having bottom flaps, not shown, which are intended to close off the bottom of the carton. A collapsible frame, generally designated 15, is comprised of two rectangular-shaped members 16 and 17 which are formed of tube stock and have a circumferential configuration paralleling that of the circumferential configuration of the carton which it is adapted to be telescoped over, as shown in FIG. 1. A pair of flat metal arms 18 and 19 are pivotally connected at 20 and 21 to the frame members 16 and 17 respectively. An identical 3,265,284 Patented August 9, 1966 pair of arms 22 and 23 are pivotally connected at 24 and 25 to the frame members 16 and 17. The points 24 and 25, at which the arms 22 and 23 are connected, are diametrically opposite from the points 20 and 21 where the arms 18 and 19 are connected to the members 16 and 17. The arms 18 and 19 have their free ends pivotally connected together by an angle plate 26. In a like manner the arms 22 and 23 are pivotally connected together by an angle plate 27.

It can be seen when viewing FIGS. 1 and 2 that the angle plates 26 and 27, when supporting the arms 22 and 23 in end-to-end relationship as in FIG. 1, will prevent the arms 22 and 23 from swinging to the right beyond the axially aligned position shown specifically in FIG. 1. Collapsing of the arms 22 and 23 may be accomplished only by movement of the angle plates 26 and 27 toward the left, as viewed in FIGS. l-3.

In order to locate the members 16 and 17 in optimum, side-reinforcing position in relation to the carton, a plurality of clips 28 are provided. Each clip is comprised of a generally flat strip of metal having a reverse bend at its upper end 29 and a second reverse bend at its lower end 30. The bend 30 is adapted to support the tubular frame member 16 and the upper bend portion 29 is adapted to overlie the upper edge of the supporting carton. In this manner a side reinforced storage container is provided.

Inasmuch as the container is intended to hold, for storage and handling purposes, relatively heavy bulk material, it is found advantageous that corner reinforcing members 31 also be provided. Such corner reinforcing members 31, as form a part of this invention, are best illustrated in FIG. 4, in which it can be seen that a single sheet of corugated material is vertically scored interme-. diate the width thereof, with each side being further scored and folded in opposing manner such that two triangular formations are formed with the opposed side edges of the member 31 being turned in and directed toward the original center fold of the piece.

As can best be seen when viewing FIG. 6, the corner reinforcing member 31, which has a length substantially equal to the height of the cart-on within which the corner post is placed, is held in position in the corner of the carton by the reverse bend 29 of the clip 28. The corner posts are held in their folded position by staples or other suitable fastening means 32.

It can readily be ssen that with the carton 10 set up and the frame members 16 and 17 telescope thereover, it is only necessary to use the clips 28 and insert the corner members 31 to provide a bulk carton capable of holding material stored therein without danger of the sides bulging to the point of rupture. In the case of stacking one container on top of another, the corner posts provide the requisite stacking strength necessary to prevent collapsing of the lower container when stacked in storage.

Additionally, it can readily be seen that the reinforcing frame 15 is collapsible and capable of reuse a plurality of times, thus permitting the use of relatively inexpensive cartons as the bulk storage container in combina tion with the collapsible reinforcing frame.

It should also be noted that the clips 28 provide a convenient method of holding the corner reinforcing members in fixed relation with respect to the corners of the container while at the same time serving to provide the means for supporting the frame 15 in the desired position wherein the two rectangular members 16 and 17 thereof are placed approximately one-third the distance from the top and bottom of the carton respectively.

Various modifications may be resorted to within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A storage container comprising in combination, a generally rectangular carton formed of interconnected side walls and bottom wall, a collapsible frame positioned around the exterior of said carton, said frame comprising a first rectangular shaped member surrounding said carton, a plurality of flat clips having their upper ends reversed bent in overlying relationship to the upper rim of the carton and their lower ends inwardly bent in engagement with said first frame member for supporting and maintaining said frame member around said carton at a predetermined distance below the top thereof, a second rectangular shaped member surrounding said carton, and means extending between said frame members-and connected to both said frame members for supporting and maintaining said second frame member around said carton at a predetermined distance below said first frame member.

2. The container as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first rectangular shaped member is located at an elevation between the top of the carton and the mid point of the side walls and wherein the second rectangular shaped member is located at an elevation between said bottom wall and the mid point of said side walls.

3. The container as defined in claim 1, wherein said frame members comprise metal tubing bent in a rectangular shape corresponding to the circumferential shape of said carton.

4. A storage container comprising in combination, a generally rectangular carton for-med of interconnected side walls and bottom wall, a collapsible frame positioned around the exterior of said carton, said frame comprising a first rectangular shaped member surrounding said carton, a plurality of flat clips having their upper ends reversed bent in overlying relationship to the upper rim of the carton and their lower ends inwardly bent in engagement with said first frame member for supporting and maintaining said frame member around said carton at a predetermined distance below the top thereof, a second rectangular shaped member surrounding said canton, means extending between said frame members and connected to both said frame members for supporting and maintaining said second frame member around said carton at a predetermined distance below said first frame member, and further comprising separate corner reinforcing members held in the corners of the carton by engagement by the upper ends of said clips.

5. The container as defined in claim 4, wherein said corner reinforcing members comprise a rectangular member of foldable material folded to form identical adjoined triangles with said reinforcing members extending the full height of said carton.

6. A storage container comprising in combination, a generally rectangular carton formed of interconnected side walls and bottom wall, a collapsible frame positioned around the exterior of said carton, said frame comprising a first rectangular shaped member surrounding said carton, a plurality of fiat clips having their upper ends reversed bent in overlying relationship to the upper rim of the carton and their lower ends inwardly bent in engagement with said first frame member for supporting and maintaining said frame member around said carton at a predetermined distance below the top thereof, a second rectangular shaped member surrounding said carton, collapsible means extending between said frame members and connected to both said frame members for supporting and maintaining said second frame member around said carton at a predetermined distance below said first [frame member, and separate corner reinforcing members held in the corners of the carton by engagement by the upper ends of said clips.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 6/ 1960 Smith et al 229-49 7/1963 Piller 229-47 

1. A STORAGE CONTAINER COMPRISING IN COMBINATION, A GENERALLY RECTANGULAR CARTON FORMED OF INTERCONNECTED SIDE WALLS AND BOTTOM WALL, A COLLAPSIBLE FRAME POSITIONED AROUND THE EXTERIOR OF SAID CARTON, SAID FRAME COMPRISING A FIRST RECTANGULAR SHAPED MEMBER SURROUNDING SAID CARTON, A PLURALITY OF FLAT CLIPS HAVING THEIR UPPER ENDS REVERSED BENT IN OVERLYING RELATIONSHIP TO THE UPPER RIM OF THE CARTON AND THEIR LOWER ENDS INWARDLY BENT IN ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID FIRST FRAME MEMBER FOR SUPPORTING AND MAINTAINING SAID FRAME MEMBER AROUND SAID CARTON AT A PREDETERMINED DISTANCE BELOW THE TOP THEREOF, A SECOND RECTANGULAR SHAPED MEMBER SURROUNDING SAID CARTON, AND MEANS EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID FRAME MEMBERS AND CONNECTED TO BOTH SAID FRAME MEMBERS FOR SUPPORTING AND MAINTAINING SAID SECOND FRAME MEMBER AROUND SAID CARTON AT A PREDETERMINED DISTANCE BELOW SAID FIRST FRAME MEMBER. 